Civilian
by surroundedbystars
Summary: A short one-shot based on two what if's put forward by Reddit: What if Chloe didn't pull back during the kiss? What if David had walked in?


**The following is a work of fan fiction based upon Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm. No claim of ownership is made and none is to be honoured.**

 **This was an idea that was put forward by the r/lifeisstrange as a kind of joke and I decided to volunteer to run with it. I hope you enjoy it.**

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I pulled into the driveway and set the car in park, pulled the hand break and switched the engine off. It was a beautiful day; the sun was up early, the birds were singing, there was a calmness to the world. After that thing with Kate Marsh the day before and the rainstorm and the eclipse, it was good. Peaceful. I just wish I hadn't been too exhausted to enjoy it.

'Goddamned teenagers,' I said to myself and looked at the files lying on the seat next to me. A photograph of Kate Marsh, poor girl. I wished that I had been the one to save her, and not Caulfield. Goddamned civilian.

 _How the hell did she get up on that roof anyway?_

And then there was that break in last night. And after I got roped in to do a night shift too!

Just as I got in I was greeted by it: the unmistakable stink of chlorine and the sight of wet patches on the carpet. A pair of drenched boots and some sneakers in front of the umbrella bin, left to sit and soak into the rug like a two pairs of frogs in front of a tree.

 _For God's sake, Chloe… I guess that solves who broke into Blackwell last night, though. Great, I'll have to lie to the police department. Again._

In the kitchen I heard Joyce starting up breakfast, bless her. She was humming softly to herself. A country song, I think. Maybe something by Jonny Cash or Glanton and the Gang. It's a good song, whoever wrote it. I heard Chloe humming it to herself, once, too.

I sighed and made my way through the hallway to the kitchen, passing the stairwell and the old pictures of Chloe. Joyce, standing in front of the stove, smiled at me as she came into view, her lipstick fresh and makeup freshly and perfectly applied.

She has the morning discipline of a marine drill instructor. _God, I love that woman._

'Good mornin', hon,' she said.

'Morning,' I said right back. My head was throbbing and my back ached.

'You're home early.'

'Yeah. There was a break in at Blackwell last night. Somebody broke into the pool and made a right mess. Poor Sammy had a hell of a lot of mopping to do this morning, I tell you wha…' I suddenly remembered about the wet carpet. 'Have you seen this?'

'The what?' She said.

'The wet carpet.'

'You mean Chloe's boots?'

'And the shoes and the… Why the hell are there shoes in the hallway? Did Chloe bring a boy home?'

Joyce smirked. 'With feet that small? Only if she's planning on eating him. Probably belongs to one of her friends.'

'She don't got no friends… Besides that Caulfield rat.'

Joyce stopped and looked at me as thought I'd just sold William's toolkit. 'Excuse me?' She said.

'That Caulfield kid… Max… Whatever. She brought grass into my house.'

'She's been a family friend for as long as we've lived in this house, and she's a good girl… woman. Dang. Plus she saved that poor Kate Marsh girl. She doesn't deserve to be called a rat.'

'I was going to save Kate Marsh.'

'I'm sure you would have, dear, if you'd gotten there fast enough. But Max was already there and she knew what to say when it was important. She's a good person.'

'That's what you all said about that Rachel Amber girl.'

'Just can it, David, would you? Go sit down,' Joyce said, her voice gravelly. 'Just… Go have a beer. Breakfast will be ready in a minute.'

I turned towards the staircase. 'Yeah, in a minute…'

'Where are you going?'

'Chloe's room.'

'Oh no you ain't. Come sit down and have your breakfast with me.'

'I'll just be a minute, dear.'

'David…'

I ignored her and marched up the staircase like a MP with a bad case of gas, rehearsing what I was going to say in my head. _Today's the day,_ I thought to myself with all the bluster I could muster. _The last step, the final straw, no more Mr Nice Guy. We're going full-on Captain Bootcamp!_

 _Chloe Elizabeth Price, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I asked you to stop bringing drugs into this house, I asked you to stop bringing boys and your drug dealing friends to this house. I asked you to get a job or to go to community college, and you ignored me. I asked you to stop parking your truck in the driveway, and you ignored me. I asked you to stop committing acts of public vandalism, to stop smoking in the bathroom, to stop drawing on my things, and you ignored me. Now, not only have you broken into Blackwell - your own school and my place of work - but you've also been so stupid as to leave yours and your…apparently extremely small boyfriend's chlorinated shoes…_

Upstairs, I could hear make out music coming from Chloe's room and the unmistakeable smell of grass. Strong grass.

 _Goddamned it, Chloe. Your mother's in the house! Have you no respect for anyone?_

Each step that brought me closer to Chloe's bedroom was one that made me just that little bit angrier. The closer I got, the louder the music got and the stronger the smell got. I wrapped my hand around Chloe's doorknob and pushed it open. A thick wave of chlorine and reefer escaped.

'Chloe Elizabeth Price, if I've told you once, I've told you a…'

Time seems to slow down as the scene unfolds in front of me. The the song all but paused; the winds, already calm, all but stopped. Chloe is awake, up, facing the door. Not dressed yet, though. Her eyes are closed, and she seems to be calm. Makes a change. Actually, based on the way that her hands have crept up Max Caulfield's back and the way that her head has turned and she's leaned into the kiss, she seems pretty happy.

 _I didn't see that one coming._

Chloe's eyes open. Slowly at first, gently like a newborn kittens, then quickly as she takes in the world and notices me me standing in the doorway. She pulls back from Max.

'What the fuck do you think you're doing?' She shouts.

Max turns and sees me and turns redder than an apple. She looks away again and retreats into the corner, staring at the American Flag in front of the window, too embarrassed to look at me.

'I uhh… Chlorine… Smoking in the bath… Your mother.'

'Get the fuck out of here!'

I can't remember my speech. All I can do is offer a quick. 'Sorry.'

'Now! Get the fuck out now!'

'Sorry.'

'Now!'

I hold up my hands and back off, shutting the door behind me. I make my way back down the stairs and through the hallway in a daze. Joyce has already put breakfast out and started her own breakfast. I sit down at the table next to her and stare at my waffles.

Joyce took a sip of coffee. 'That seemed to go about as well as expected.'

'Yeah.'

'What happened?'

Faintly, I can hear the sound of laughter coming from upstairs. 'She uhh… Has that friend of her friends upstairs. Max.'

'Oh,' Joyce says and takes a sip from her coffee. 'That's nice. Chloe hasn't had a friend up there since Rachel. '

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 **Thanks for reading. Reviews are always appreciated.**


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